Job Ref: # 9355015
Date Posted: 12/9/2025
City, State: Norfolk, Virginia
Description
Director of Business Development – Naval Systems
Location: Remote (East Coast preferred; ideal near Navy Fleet concentration areas)
Employment
Type: Full-Time
Type: Full-Time
About the Role
RIX Industries is seeking a highly connected and technically fluent Director of Business Development – Naval Systems to lead strategic growth, customer engagement, and long-cycle capture efforts across the .S. Navy ecosystem. In this role, you will be the primary “go-to” representative for RIX within the Naval community—building relationships, shaping opportunities early, and driving complex, multi-year programs that support mission-critical maritime platforms. You will partner closely with Program Management, Senior Leadership, Engineering, and the incumbent BD leader (who will remain onboard for ~1 year to support a smooth
transition). This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven Naval BD leader who thrives in a high-visibility, high-impact environment and wants to influence future fleet capabilities through advanced gas generation, precision compressor systems, and cryogenic technologies.
transition). This is an exceptional opportunity for a proven Naval BD leader who thrives in a high-visibility, high-impact environment and wants to influence future fleet capabilities through advanced gas generation, precision compressor systems, and cryogenic technologies.
What You’ll Do
- Identify, qualify, and capture new Naval business opportunities aligned with RIX’s strategic growth initiatives
- Build, maintain, and deepen relationships across the Naval ecosystem (Navy customers, program offices/PEOs, shipyards, primes, integrators)
- Monitor Naval market activity, competitive shifts, funding cycles, and emerging technologies; recommend strategies and product directions to senior leadership
- Lead proposal efforts from RFI/RFP to submission, Q&A, award, and post-award debrief
- Provide detailed bookings forecasts, capture strategies, and resource requirements
- Serve as the champion of RIX’s Customer Partnership strategy using VOC best practices
- Collaborate closely with Program Management as a strategic partner to align forecasts, opportunities, and customer communications
- Represent RIX at Marine Machinery Association events, tradeshows, and defense industry forums
- Deliver weekly pursuit updates, capture progress, and market intelligence to the CSO
- Build and sustain strategic relationships across U.S. and international government stakeholders as needed
- Support branding and marketing initiatives to elevate RIX’s presence in Naval markets
- Manage the BD budget for the Naval Systems segment
- Perform all other duties that support the company’s mission and long-term growth
MUST HAVE
- Bachelor’s degree (Engineering, Business, Marketing, or related field)
- 10+ years of Business Development experience in a Defense/Navy environment
- Strong, active network within the U.S. Navy (maritime and/or aviation)
- Proven success leading long-cycle, complex engineered solution sales (multi-year captures)
- Deep understanding of Navy funding structures, appropriations, and POM processes
- Ability to shape opportunities early through customer engagement and competitive insight
- Strong technical aptitude to understand equipment and speak at an engineering level
- Experience partnering hand-in-hand with Program Management
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills
- Ability to travel up to 50% domestically; some international travel possible
- U.S. Citizenship (no dual citizenship)
- Able to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret Clearance
- Must pass a 10-panel drug screen
- MBA or advanced degree
- Formal Business Development training
- Recent experience working closely with shipyards, primes, integrators, or PEOs
- History of success in highly technical defense systems or engineered solutions
- Naval Aviation background
Who You Are
- Deeply embedded in the Naval community with established credibility and relationships
- Strategic, analytical, and skilled at interpreting intelligence into actionable plans
- Highly collaborative—especially with Program Management—operating as a unified team
- Comfortable as the external “face” of RIX at industry events and Naval gatherings
- Organized, proactive, and capable of managing multiple long-term captures
- Confident representing sophisticated, non-commodity technologies
- Self-directed, accountable, and motivated by high-impact work in defense markets
Additional Details
- Base Salary Range: $185,000 – $200,000
- Variable Compensation: 20% target bonus
- Travel: Up to 50%, including tradeshows, shipyards, PEO visits, and DC customer meetings
- Work Style: Fully remote; East Coast strongly preferred, ideally near a Navy hub (e.g., Norfolk)
- Training & Transition: Supported by current incumbent for ~1 year to transfer relationships and domain knowledge
Job Posting
